


Safe at last

by Magic_Freak



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-18
Updated: 2013-10-19
Packaged: 2017-12-29 18:25:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1008590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magic_Freak/pseuds/Magic_Freak
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry is saved from the Dursley's and is taken to Voldemort by Severus. They then read the Harry Potter book. This story will be the first book. Eventually Harry will have a pairing but I'm gonna leave that for you to guess. My grammar, punctuation and maybe even spelling will more then likely have a lot of mistakes so sorry in advance. Please review guys....it makes me happy :)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Saved

Surrounded by shadows Snape watched the Dursley's through the dining room window,he had hated Petunia when the were children and that feeling had grown stronger, especially while watching the scene play out in front of him.

Harry was currently pleading for his uncles forgiveness for something Snape knew that Dudley had done, Vernon was bright red caused by his anger which rose to the point he was now beating the boy bloody. Snape cursed he had believed the Harry was living the charmed life, that was what Dumbledore lead him to believe, he had been a fool.

Snape watched in panic as Harry fell to the ground unconscious, he couldn't enter the house, the blood wards wouldn't allow someone with the dark mark to enter, he could tell Harry was close to death, his mind was going a million miles an hour trying to think of a way to help, but not one idea came.

BANG!

Vernon had just smashed a chair over Harry and was now wrapping him up in a table cloth, Snape could hear him screaming something along the lines of 'the freak deserved it'. He backed away as the front door opened and Harry was dumped on the doorsteps. "This is how you came and how you will leave".

Snape sighed in relief as the blood wards were no longer a problem, keeping Harry alive was. He ran over to the unconscious boy and was pleased to see the faint sign of breathing, he was still alive, thank Merlin all he had to was keep him that way.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry woke up to a blinding light, he couldn't focus on his surroundings, he reached for his glasses to find that this was a strange place, and his glasses were missing.

Everyone bone in his body hurt and felt like it weighed tonnes. Panicked his breathing came faster and faster.

"Your awake?... Oh thank Merlin" a familiar voice spoke.  
"Professor Snape?" His confusion grew as his glasses were placed on his face to reveal that indeed it was professor Snape sitting by his bed"

He shook his head rapidly, Severus Snape was a man who hated him there is no way that he would be happy he was okay, it was something Harry had known from his time at Hogwarts that everyone knew Snape never hid the fact from anyone. Harry tried to get up and escape but Snape pushed him back gently.

" shhh it's okay Harry, your safe here, I know it might be hard but trust me okay?" Snape placed his hand on Harry's shoulder " I won't let anyone hurt you, ever again... I grew up with parents like your uncle I understand"

Harry shoved the hand away. "I don't need pity from any one least of all you"  
Snape shook his head and moved closer to Harry " people like us don't need pity we just need people to love and care for us for who we are"  
Harry glared at Snape " Snape care for me? HA that's real funny, tell me when are the people come and jump surprise"

" Severus call me Severus... Look Harry I saved you from your relatives, I owe your mother and father a life debt hence why I must protect you...I will take you down stairs to the others we have something to ask of you"

Harry nodded only because he was curious to who the others were and what they wanted from him.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry was sitting on the couch next to Severus and what frightened for his life because they were joined by the company of Voldermort who still looked like his sixteen year old self from the diary, the three Malfoy's, Draco, Lucius and Narcissa and Draco's friends Pansy and Blaise.

It was Voldemort who broke the very awkward silence that had fallen upon the room. " Harry Potter we have been informed of your situation and have revoked all want to kill you, I grew up like you and wanted no one to have the same life I did, I know I'm the reason for your suffering and it is the thing I regret most"

Harry nodded to show he was listening and for Voldemort to continue. " first I want to know what you think of Dumbledore"

Harry smiled such an easy question "Ass hat, meddling old fool, signed his own death wish" Voldemort smiled at Harry "welcome to my home, now I understand you start your sixth year this year, do you not" Harry nodded " here we have books about your life up until you fifth year we would like to know if you would care to join us read them" he gestured the stack of books next to him"

Harry nodded " I guess I can.... Conditions of course" he smirked at Voldemort 

Voldemort smiled at Harry " when is there not conditions"

Harry was still a bit shocked about being near Voldemort. " uh we'll, I want the Weasley twins, Hermione, Sirius and Remus to be here too"

Lucius shook his head smiling " boy doesn't ask much does he" 

Draco gave Harry a confused look " isn't your godfather dead Potter"

Harry nodded " it's Harry and Voldemort has the power to bring him here as he was only sucked into the veil..." Harry looked sad " although he is running out of time"

Voldemort nodded before leaving the room. The room sat in silence, waiting for his return, Harry looked around awkwardly soon after Voldemort returned with Fred, George and Remus right behind him. Harry had a small tear run down his cheek as he thought it might be two late for his godfather. Voldemort smiled "a few more hours and you'll have your godfather back Harry"

Harry hugged the twins who sat on the floor in front of him before doing the same to Remus who joined Voldemort on his couch, not wanting to sit on the floor. Draco was sitting next to his parents and his friends.

Everyone cheered around him as Harry declared it okay to start.


	2. The boy who lived

" Hermione will arrive tommorow" Voldemort told Harry

Harry nodded a wide grin on his face " she can catch up then"

"we will take turns reading... I'm first" Voldemort announced.

Everyone nodded pleased.

" the chapter is called THE BOY WHO LIVED"

Voldemort begun reading.

**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.**

" your welcome" the twins snorted.

**They were the lastpeople you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.  
Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. **

Harry quickly explained what drills were.

**He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had  
nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors. The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**

" oh they sound awful" Remus stated.

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be.**

" Harry they were proud of that fact" Remus smiled at Harry.

**The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want  
Dudley mixing with a child like that.**

"That's okay we don't want our Harry mixing with the likes of YOU" the twins chorused 

Harry smiled.

"What horrible people" Pansy shuddered

" don't worry they are worse" Harry replied

Severus wrapped his arms around Harry who leaned into him, it seemed like the natural thing to do.

Remus smiled at the two, he never thought he would see the day that Severus Snape comforted a Potter. Even if it wasn't James.

**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming  
Dudley into his high chair. None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window. At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed, because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.**

" they can't encourage that behaviour" Narcissa scowled

" little my arse! Harry chuckled, the twins laughed remembering Dudley.

**It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar - a cat reading a map. For a second, Mr. Dursley**   
**didn't realize what he had seen - then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet**   
**Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and**   
**stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now  
reading the sign that said Privet Drive - no, looking at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs. **

" it's Minnie" shouted Fred

" yeah there's only a thousand other animaguses" George rolled his eyes.

" I'm telling you it's Minnie"

" I bet you three gallons it's not Minnie"

" deal" the twins shook hands.

Voldmort looked at the twins confusesed " who's Minnie" Remus on the other hand was looking slightly awkward"

"Proffesor McGonagall  it came up once on the maurders map, we like the name and it stuck"

Draco looked intrigued " what's the maurders map"

" it's a map made by the legendary maurders, Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs...wormtails a gig, it shows all the secret passages way in Hogwarts"

Voldemort looked at the twins with wide eyes " you have such a thing in your possession, they shook there heads " Harry does now, we gave it to him, he needed it way more then us"

Blaise looked impresses " wicked, so Harry who are they, you at least know Wormtail you said before"

The twins looked at Harry shocked as they realised that Harry had implied that he knew Wormtail " Harry, how come you won't let us in on who it is" Fred pouted

" we only worshiped them" George faked wiping a tear.

Harry noticed that Remus had gone red and Severus was trying not to laugh " All will come in good time, my friends"

The twins pouted, and Pansy being impatient gestured to continue reading.

 

**Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day. But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes - the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt - these people were obviously collecting for something... Yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr.  
Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.**

" what's wrong with cloaks" Blaise inquired

" muggles" replied Draco

" he has a short attention span doesn't he" laughed Severus

Everyone nodded.

**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate I n drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swoop ing past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open- mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs**

" oh no the apocolipse is coming, quick everyone hide" Draco pretended to panic

**and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.**

" oh apocolipse avoided" laughed Blaise.

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he  
caught a few words of what they were saying. "The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard yes, their son, Harry"**

"And so it's starts" Harry looked at the floor sadly.

**Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it. He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking... no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name.**

" maybe in the muggle world it is" snorted Pansy 

 **He was sure there were** **lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think** **of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never even** **seen the boy.**

" oh lord, how can you not know, your own nephews name" scowled Narcissa

**It might have been Harvey. Or Harold.**

"Both horrible names" Lucius growled

"James and Lilly would never call their son Harvey or Harold" Remus looked disgusted

The twins bursed out in laughter, when they were asked what was funny they managed to say " Harold Potter" before laughing again

Everyone joined the laughter and once everyone calmed down, Voldemort continued to read.

 **There was no point I** **n worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her** **sister. He didn't blame her - if he'd had a sister like that... but all** **the same, those people in cloaks...** **He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and** **when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that** **he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

**"Sorry," he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell.**

" he said-"

" sorry"

The twins laughed

**It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"**

"Wow he is excited" Draco smirked

**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.**

" how did they fit all the way around?" Pansy asked

Harry shrugged " magic" he then put his hands up and did spirit fingers.

Everyone laughed

" Merlin Harry-"

" why weren't you this funny around-"

"Ron" asked the twins

" I'm always funny, you just never pay attention" Harry smirked

**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

" God people can be so stupid, we don't have the statue of secrecy for no reason" groaned Lucius.

" Luckly he is just as stupid" replied Narcissa"

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw - and it didn't improve his mood - was the tabby cat he'd spotted that  
morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

" ha it's Minnie the markings are her glasses" Fred pointed to the book

" the book hasn't said so yet" George replied

 **"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly. The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behavior? Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife. Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had**  
 **learned a new word ("Won't!"). Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to**  
 **catch the last report on the evening news: "And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's**  
owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been  
hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly  
changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?" "Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early - it'snot until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."

" how thick can you get, honestly" muttered Blaise. Harry chuckled.

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters... Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er - Petunia, dear - you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

" he is scared of someone he is twice the size of" Draco inquired.

 **As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**  
 **"No," she said sharply. "Why?" "Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls... shooting**  
 **stars... and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today...""So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**  
"Well, I just thought... maybe... it was something to do with... youknow... her crowd."  
Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wonderedwhether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." Hedecided he  didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son -he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?""I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly."What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?""Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."

" we'll no one did ask you" Pansy shouted at the book.

Harry chuckled " Pansy your talking to a book"

Pansy blushed a deep red " shut up"

" don't worry Harry we love your name" George said.

" it heaps better then Dudley" Fred added

" I second that" smiled Voldemort.

" seriously who calls their son Dudley" Narcissa laughed

" Mr and Mrs Dursley's obviously" Remus replied with a grin.

**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree." He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroomwindow and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there.**

" whoever the cat is, they have to remember no cat would sit so still" Lucius remarked

Everyone nodded in agreement.

**It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something. Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with thePotters? If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of- well, he didn't think he could bear it. The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters wereinvolved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind... He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on - he yawned and turned over - it couldn't affect them... How very wrong he was.**

Harry looked down at his feet. The Dursley's were in the past, he never had to back there gain, he was safe.

 **Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat** **on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as** **still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of** **Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the** **next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight** **before the cat moved at all.** **A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so** **suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the** **ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.** **Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall,** **thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were** **both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a** **purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots.** **His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon** **spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been** **broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.**

" And in enters Dumbledork" Harry muttered

" Draco joined in Harrys laughter, when he finished he looked at Harry "friends" Harry nodded "friends" Draco walked over to Harry " I'm Draco Malfoy's pleased to meet you" Harry shook his hand " I'm Harry, Harry Potter and the pleasure is all mine Draco". they smiled at each other.

Harry and Draco were soon joined by Blaise and Pansy.

Pansy kissed Harry on the cheek " I'm Pansy, I just know we are going to be great friends" she winked at Harry who was completely confused " don't pretend like you don't understand"

"leave him alone Pansy geez your his friend for less then five seconds, I'm Blaise please to finally see you on the right side of the war" Blaise shook his head.

Severus shook his head, " he never said he was on our side"

Harry nodded nodded " but you know I am now right, anything to hurt dumbles and help you, you saved my life"

Before another word was said voldermort interrupted " let's go back to reading"

Everyone went back to there seats but Draco who now sat next to Harry.

**Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known." He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again - the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed**   
**Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.  
"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

" HA TOLD YOU, PAY UP GEORGIE" Fred fist bumped the air.

George reluctly gave his brother three gallons.

Everyone was looking at them with pure amusement.

Pansy called out to Fred " my new friends smart" she giggled

The twins turned to each other.

" I guess we-"

"Like Harry are-"

" friends with you to"

" nice to meet you Pansy Blaise and Draco-"

" we are Gred and Forge, the Weasley twins"

Everyone laughed at the twins antics before turning their attention once again to the book.

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tightbun.**

Fred gave George a smug look.

**She looked distinctly ruffled. "How did you know it was me?" she asked. "My dear Professor, I 've never seen a cat sit so stiffly." "You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall. "All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

" how could you you apparated, what did you do take pit stops" Narcissa called out.

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily. "Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no - even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls... shooting stars... Well, they're not completely stupid. They  
were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent - I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."**

Everyone heard Lucius mutter " statue of secrecy"

 **"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years." "I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on**  
 **the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors." She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A**  
 **fine thing it would be if, on the very day YouKnow-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose hereally has gone, Dumbledore?"**  
"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful  
for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"  
"A what?"

" a what?" Shrieked Pansy 

**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of" "No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't  
think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone -" "My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You- Know-Who' nonsense - for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort." Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reasonto be frightened of saying Voldemort's name. "I know you haven 't, said Professor McGonagall, sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."**

" excuse me who made up that ridiculous rumour, me afraid of dumbels ha that just plane stupid" Voldemort was furious but everyone laughed anyway.

" So your not then?" Harry asked between giggles.

" Never have and never will, it just some rumour he properly spread"

" you sure" Harry grinned evilly at his ex rivial.

"Positive" glared Voldemort.

" **You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**  
 **"Only because you're too - well - noble to use them.""It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey  
told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

" okay gross to much information" Pansy shuddered.

" He is no where near my level, thank you very much" Voldemort looked at the book annoyed

" he pretends to be noble" Harry growled.

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?" It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixedDumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer. "What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are - are - that they're - dead. "**

Harry looked at his feet ignoring the looks he was recieving. Severus squeezed him a little tighter.

**Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped. "Lily and James... I can't believe it... I didn't want to** **believe it...**   
**Oh, Albus..." Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know... I know..." he said heavily. Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But - he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how,but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke - and that's why he's gone. Dumbledore nodded glumly. "It's - it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"  
"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

" oh he knows but won't share the whole story" Harry growled " you only tell me half"

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge.**

" why would it have numbers?" Lucius asked confused.

" muggle ones do" his wife replied.

He stared at Narcissa in shock " Andromedia made do muggle studies with her" she said it as it explained everything.

**It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was  
he who told you I'd be here, by the way?" "Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?" "I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now.""You don't mean - you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore - you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son - I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"**

" Why couldn't she choose where I went? Harry asked sadly not needing an answer.

" yes she seems to not want you there" Pansy smiled at Harry.

**"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've  
written them a letter."**

"A LETTER WONT BLOODY DO ANYTHING" Remus was furious.

Narcissa was going to say something but thought better of it.

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this ina letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous - a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future -**

 That would be cool" the twins grinned at Harry who shook his head.

" no, no It wouldn't"

**there will be books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name!" "Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"**

" okay I see his point, but I still don't like who you end up with" Draco told Harry 

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes - yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**

" he better not be" Voldemort barked 

 **"Hagrid's bringing him." "You think it - wise - to trust Hagrid with something as important as**  
 **this?" I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore. "I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor**  
 **McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to - what was that?"**  
A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky - and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them. If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride  
it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild - long  
tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were  
like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.  
"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did  
you get that motorcycle?" "Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing  
carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."

Remus eyes widened " Sirius let him ride it, he wouldn't let me or James near it even though we gave it to him as a Christmas gift" he fake pouted.

" he knew you would crash it" Harry laughed

Remus pouted more

**"No problems, were there?" "No, sir - house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right  
before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

 the girls cooed. Harry groaned " why"

Everyone laughed at him.

 **Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft** **of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning. "Is that where -?" whispered Professor McGonagall. "Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever." "Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?" "Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself  
above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground.**

" again to much info" Pansy shrieked

**Well - give him here, Hagrid - we'd better get this over with." Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.  
"Could I - could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.**

" Sirius would take offence to that" Remus laughed

Harry nodded 

 **"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!""S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and**  
b **urying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it - Lily an' James dead - an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles -"**  
"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly  
on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone From Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.

" twinkle, twinkle little star-" George sang

" how I wonder what you are" Fred sang along

" wow that's a muggle nursery rhyme"

Fred and George laughed when the stopped they added " seriously, what is with the twinkle"

This had everyone laughing even Voldemort.

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations." "Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice,**

" I wonder where it is" Harry asked himself.

Remus shrugged " Sirius would know"

Harry smiled " he has to take me for a ride sometime"

Remus laughed " he would love that I'm sure, his godson walking in his footsteps"

Harry and Remus laughed together

 **"** **I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall - Professor Dumbledore, sir." Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose I nto the air and off into the night."I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore,nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four. "Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.** **A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and** **tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect** **astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his** **blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside** **him and he slept on,**

" aww how cute" Pansy cooed

" shut up" Harry was slowly going red

 **not knowing he was special, not knowing he was** **famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs.** **Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk** **bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and** **pinched by his cousin Dudley... He couldn't know that at this very moment** **, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up** **their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy** **who lived!"**

"He left you on a doorstep!" Draco gave Harry a concerned look

Harry nodded," that's Dumbledork for you"

 " was that the end?" Asked Draco 

voldermort nodded.

"My turn to read" Pansy squealed

Everyone laughed


End file.
